Colgan Air operated for Continental Express/United Express, and US Airways Express. Pinnacle Airlines Corporation phased out the Colgan Air name on September 5, 2012, and transferred personnel and logistics to Pinnacle Airlines.
After Presidential went defunct, Colgan and his son, Michael J., restarted service under the name National Capital on a Washington-Dulles to Binghamton, NY, route on December 1, 1991. Service was provided with Beechcraft 1900C equipment. .This route was later dropped and the name Colgan Air adopted. On July 1, 1997 Colgan became a feeder for Continental Airlines once again, this time operating under the name Continental Connection.
On December 11, 1999, Colgan left the Continental system and became exclusively a US Airways Express carrier, focusing its routes around major US Airways stations such as LaGuardia, Pittsburgh, and Boston. However, in 2005 Colgan acquired additional Saab 340 aircraft and resumed service as Continental Connection out of Houston.
Colgan Air was acquired by Pinnacle Airlines Corporation on January 18, 2007, for US$20 million. Under the terms of the purchase, Colgan's regional aircraft fleet continued to operate independently of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation's major subsidiary, Pinnacle Airlines, whose all regional jet fleet continued to fly and operate in the livery of Northwest Airlink. It was a strategic move by Pinnacle to get access to Colgan’s partners, Continental Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.[2]
Colgan's headquarters moved from Manassas, VA, to Pinnacle's headquarters in Memphis, TN, in December 2009.
In July 2010, Pinnacle Airlines Corporation announced that the Colgan Air name would be phased out and all Pinnacle Airlines Corporation propeller flights would be operated by Mesaba Airlines. Colgan operated for two more years before winding down operations in 2012.
On May 15, 2012, Colgan Air ceased flying for US Airways Express. On June 5, 2012, flying in and out of the Houston (IAH) hub for United Express ceased. Colgan had previously operated as Continental Connection from IAH with Saab 340 aircraft prior to Continental-United merger. On July 31, Colgan Air phased out operations to Saab 340 fleet.
The last revenue flight, Colgan Air doing business as United Express Flight 3923 from Washington-Dulles to Albany, NY, was on September 5, 2012.
The remaining Bombardier Q400s on order were delivered to Republic Airways. Republic then phased out the Q400s between September 2014 and September 2016.
On January 3, 2017, the airline’s founder, Charles J. Colgan, died at the age of 90.
All aircraft were operated under Colgan Air's operating certificate.
Q400 aircraft were scheduled for interior configuration changes to install first class.
Saab 340 aircraft are also operated.
Headquarters
The headquarters of Colgan Air were, at the end of the airline's life, located in Memphis, Tennessee.[4] The headquarters were formerly on the grounds of the Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia.[5][6][7] On Tuesday June 28, 2005, the Prince William County, Virginia, Board of County Supervisors voted to sell 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land in the Innovation@Prince William business park in Prince William County to Colgan. Colgan Air planned to build a 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) corporate headquarters and training facility in the business park for $1.7 million (including equipment costs) and move its headquarters from its airport site. Colgan planned to move its administrative and training employees from the headquarters site and other sites in Manassas and Prince William County to the new complex. The company also planned to hire around 90 additional employees as part of the process.[7]
After Pinnacle Airlines Corp. bought Colgan Air in 2007 and made Colgan Air its subsidiary, Pinnacle agreed to keep Colgan's headquarters in Manassas as long as, in the company's words, "it continues to make operational and financial sense for the organization."[6] In 2009, Colgan Air announced that it was moving its headquarters to Memphis to be in proximity to the offices of Pinnacle Airlines, Colgan Air's parent company. 50 employees were scheduled to transfer to Memphis to work in crew scheduling, dispatch, training, flight operations, and other administrative tasks. While 45 other employees were asked to move to Memphis, they declined so they could stay in the Manassas area.[8] In September 2009, the human resources department was scheduled to stay in Manassas.[6] In October 2009, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. tried to get additional incentives from the State of Tennessee as the Colgan headquarters were about to move.[9] During that month, Colgan announced that 20 employees would remain in Manassas to man the two hangars at Manassas Regional Airport. 100 jobs in Manassas were lost as part of the headquarters move.[8] Helaine Becker, a transportation analyst employed by Jesup & Lamont Securities Corp, believes that the moving of Colgan will help reduce costs; she said that the company did not need two corporate headquarters and that "I think it has more to do with that than anything else."[6]
In 2010, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. considered moving its headquarters to Downtown Memphis and to Olive Branch, Mississippi, and the airline also considered keeping the headquarters in its current location. Pinnacle selected Downtown Memphis, and on October 8, 2010, the airline held a celebration for its decision to move into One Commerce Square in Downtown Memphis. The Center City Commission, the City of Memphis, and Shelby County gave out $10 million in incentives, including free parking, to convince Pinnacle to move to Downtown Memphis.[10]
^ ab"Business NotesArchived 2013-03-14 at the Wayback Machine." The Washington Post. June 30, 2005. Prince William Extra, Start Page T:10. Retrieved on February 27, 2010. "The Board of County Supervisors voted Tuesday to sell the Manassas-based regional airline 10 acres (40,000 m2) at the business park for $1.7 million. Company officials plan to build a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) corporate headquarters and training facility, valued at $1.7 million, including equipment, inside Innovation@Prince William. Colgan Air's administrative and training employees will relocate from the company's airport office and other sites cross Manassas and Prince William County and about 90 more employees will be hired, said Michael J. Colgan, president of Colgan Air."
